Who woulda thunk?

"The purpose of the meeting [12-10-08] is to update the Project Advisory Committee and other stakeholders regarding progress on the Ankeny Burnside Public Realm Improvements. The project has a significant funding gap due to unexpected construction costs.
PDC staff will seek input from the committee on three options."

This was the basic content in the email notice of the meeting. The meeting:
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
6:00 P.M. TO 7:30 P.M.
White Stage (sic) Building 70 NW Couch St.

How much of a "funding gap?" "Unexpected" when? What are the "three options?"

Ah! The mystery. But it can't be much of a mystery that project has come to cost more since the Portland process takes years to implement - if ever.

I was on the stakeholder committees concerning the two primary projects. It was clear from the very start that there was no money to support the original centerpiece - moving of the Firestation 1 one and ½ blocks so that luxury type condos could be built along the waterfront.

It also seemed to me that the Saturday Market was at risk too. Too much time and money was spent by PdC hoping to get public approval of some other site -other than its then present (and mostly still) site. The vast majority of the public wanted the Market to remain in its present location.

While Mercy Corp is going forward with its project and is squeezing the Market into smaller spaces - the market still waits (nearly a year past due) for the waterfront (a short move) location. This is not a criticism of Mercy Corp - but of PdC.

It will be interesting to find out how deficient the funding and what alternatives exist.

It can't go without notice that the Project Advisory Committee had no representation by members of the Saturday Market. See 1st meeting summary.

The rationale was bogus and intended to eliminate the Market's input, i.e., that the committee should not have members with interests in the outcome. Say what? A look at the members list will tell you that it is bunk.

Given that decisions are too often made by the path of least resistance the Market people need to be organized to prevent any more 'reshaping' of the Market.